Guadalajara International Airport

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport (IATA: GDL, ICAO: MMGL), simply known as Guadalajara International Airport, is the primary international airport serving Guadalajara, Jalisco, the third-largest city in Mexico. It facilitates flights to and from destinations across Mexico, the Americas, and Europe.^[2] It is the largest hub for Volaris, functioning as the airline's primary gateway to the United States.^[3] Additionally, it serves as a hub for Aeromexico and Viva Aerobus. Operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the airport is named after Miguel Hidalgo, a prominent leader in the Mexican War of Independence.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
IATA: GDL ICAO: MMGL
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
Serves	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Location	Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco
Opened	March 1, 1951; 73 years ago (1951-03-01)
Focus city for	Aeromexico
Operating base for	Volaris Viva Aerobus
Time zone	CST (UTC-06:00)
Elevation AMSL	1,529 m / 5,016 ft
Coordinates	20°31′18″N 103°18′40″W
Website	www.aeropuertosgap.com.mx/en/guadalajara-3.html
Maps
Guadalajara airport diagram
GDL Location of airport in Jalisco Show map of Jalisco GDL GDL (Mexico) Show map of Mexico
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 11R/29L 4,000 13,123 Asphalt 11L/29R 3,538 11,608 Asphalt 02/20 (Closed) 1,818 5,964 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers 17,710,200 Ranking in Mexico 3rd
Source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico[1]

The airport is the second-busiest in Mexico for cargo flights, providing cargo services to countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Additionally, the airport supports various tourism initiatives, flight training programs, and general aviation activities. In terms of passenger traffic, Guadalajara Airport ranks as the third busiest in Mexico, following Mexico City and Cancún. It stands as the ninth busiest in Latin America and the 44th busiest in North America. It handled 17,710,200 passengers in 2023, a 13.5% compared to the 15,606,600 passengers it handled in 2022.^[1]

History

Early operations

Terminal main entrance

The Guadalajara Airport was inaugurated on March 1, 1951, featuring two asphalt runways, an apron, and a small passenger terminal. The opening ceremony was officiated by President Miguel Alemán Valdés.^[4]

Guadalajara Airport has undergone significant expansions since its early days. In 1966, operations were briefly suspended due to safety concerns raised by the Technical Commission of the Mexican Pilots Association (Spanish: Asociación Sindical de Pilotos Aviadores de México ASPA). Urgent repairs were carried out, with airlines temporarily redirected to the Zapopan Air Force Base. The renovation efforts included enlarging the original 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) runway 10/28. By 1968, the runway was reconstructed and extended to 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), coinciding with the reconstruction of the airport's passenger building.

The airport was reinaugurated as the new Miguel Hidalgo International Airport. This transformation allowed it to accommodate wide-body aircraft and was executed largely using existing infrastructure, with the old runway, apron, and building repurposed for general aviation. Throughout the following years, the airport underwent further transformations. In 1973, runways, taxiways, aprons, passenger buildings, parking lots, a control tower, and fuel storage areas were completely renovated or newly constructed. Technological enhancements, such as jetbridges, high-intensity lights, visual approach slope indicator (VASI) and runway end identifier lights (REIL), were implemented to ensure operational efficiency and safety.

Hub operations

In the 1980s, Mexicana, a key player in the country's aviation industry, began a decentralization effort to address congestion at Mexico City International Airport. Guadalajara, alongside airports like Monterrey and Mérida, played a pivotal role in accommodating additional routes and frequencies to alleviate pressure on the capital's airport. As part of this initiative, a Maintenance Base was inaugurated in 1988. This facility had the capacity to service ten Boeing 727-200 aircraft and two DC-10s, constituting a significant portion (approximately 23%) of the airline's fleet. Until Mexicana's bankruptcy, the airport served as a hub for the airline, functioning as one of its gateways to the United States.

On May 24, 1993, the airport parking lot became the site of a tragic firefight between the Logan Heights Gang, associated with the Tijuana Cartel, and the Sinaloa Cartel. This confrontation resulted in seven fatalities, including Catholic Archbishop Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo.^[5]

In 1994, expansion and adaptation projects were funded by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA), leading to significant improvements in the passenger terminal and departures concourse. The apron was extended, and two taxiways were added. A transformative year came in 1995 with the publication of the 'Ley de Aeropuertos' (Airports Law) by the Department of Communications and Transportation (Spanish: Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transporte), marking the inception of Mexico's airport privatization program. In 1999, Guadalajara Airport joined Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), a consortium headquartered in Guadalajara.

The airport served as a hub for Aero California from its establishment in 1960 until its bankruptcy in 2006. In the 2000s, it also served as the primary hub for the now-defunct regional airline ALMA and was a secondary hub for Aeromar. In 2010, Volaris commenced service to Guadalajara, absorbing routes from the defunct Aerocalifornia and Mexicana. This marked the establishment of what is now Volaris' largest hub.

Passenger terminal

Expansion challenges and local concerns

In 2020, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico announced a substantial investment of 14 billion pesos in Guadalajara Airport. This funding was dedicated to essential developments, including the construction of a new runway located on the northern side of the airport, converting the terminal and other buildings into midfield facilities. Other developments include improved terminal access, an expanded parking lot, a hotel, an office complex, and a solar power plant. The comprehensive expansion project is slated for completion by 2024.^[6]

Despite the promising vision, expansion initiatives have faced setbacks due to conflicts with residents. Protests have disrupted parking lot access, leading to a reevaluation of the construction timeline. Residents argue that Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico holds debts for the land, originally expropriated in 1975 for airport expansion. This contested terrain, spanning the airport's polygon and an additional 320 hectares (790 acres), designates 51 hectares (130 acres) for the second runway. The ongoing dispute has prompted Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico to appeal to the Department of Communications and Transportation, resulting in a temporary postponement of the second runway's construction. Successful completion of these expansions is anticipated to substantially boost the airport's capacity, accommodating over 40 million passengers. In the absence of fruitful negotiations, the potential for another expropriation remains an option to advance the project.

In December 2021, Guadalajara Airport achieved a significant milestone with the introduction of Aeroméxico's nonstop flights to Madrid, operated by a Boeing 787. This marked the airport's inaugural direct connection to Europe.^[7]

Facilities

Terminal map

Departures concourse C

The airport is located in the municipality of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) southeast of Downtown Guadalajara. Situated within built-up areas of the Metropolitan zone, the airport is situated at an elevation 1,529 metres (5,016 ft) above sea level, featuring three asphalt runways: Runway 11R/29L measuring 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), Runway 02/20 measuring 1,818 metres (5,965 ft), and Runway 11L/29R 3,538 metres (11,608 ft).

Passenger Terminal

The airport's single terminal spans an area of 89,300 square metres (961,000 sq ft) and is currently undergoing renovations. Operating as a two-story facility, the terminal facilitates domestic and international flights. The ground floor encompasses arrival amenities, including baggage claim carousels, domestic check-in sections, and a commercial corridor housing snack kiosks, banks, souvenir shops, and car rental services. The upper floor features security checkpoints and a departures area extending 630 metres (2,070 ft), housing food courts, restaurants, and 43 gates distributed across four concourses:

• Concourse A: Airside Walk-up gates A1 - A8
• Concourse B: Jetbridge gates B10 - B13
• Concourse C: Jetbridge gates C30 - C37
• Concourse D: Ground Floor, Bus gates D40 - D50^[8]

  

  Food court at the departures concourse

  

  Terminal main entrance

  

  Volaris Airbus A320-271N N530VL at GDL

  

  Aeromexico Boeing B737-9 MAX XA-HSB at GDL

Various VIP lounges, such as the Aeroméxico Salón Premier, Citibanamex Salón Beyond, VIP Lounge East, and VIP Lounge West, are available within the passenger terminal. Additionally, nearby hotel services include City Express Guadalajara Aeropuerto, Hampton Inn by Hilton Guadalajara-Aeropuerto, and Hangar Inn.^[9] Car rental services include Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, Veico Car Rental, City Car Rental, and Mex Rent A Car. Restaurants at the airport include:

Restaurants

• Burger King
• California Pizza Kitchen
• Carl's Jr.
• Chili's
• Corner Bar
• De Volada Grab N' Go
• El Quijote
• Fronteras Bar
• Guacamole Mexican Grill
• Johnny Rockets
• Krispy Kreme
• La Pausa
• Los Tres Amigos Tacos
• Medas
• Natural Break
• Sbarro
• Shake Shack
• Starbucks
• Subway
• Wings

Other facilities

Air Force Station No. 1 (Spanish: Estación Aérea Militar N.º 1 Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara) (E.A.M. 1) is situated on the airport grounds.^[10] Adjacent facilities encompass a maintenance base for Volaris, Aeromexico, an FBO terminal, a general aviation apron with several hangars, and a cargo terminal, recently expanded to store approximately 350,000 tons of goods annually within its 27,000 square metres (290,000 sq ft). The cargo terminal features six positions capable of handling various wide-body aircraft.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Airlines	Destinations
Aeroméxico	Chicago–O'Hare, Fresno, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco Seasonal: Denver (begins December 21, 2024),[11] Las Vegas (begins December 19, 2024),[11] Miami (begins December 19, 2024),[11] Orlando (begins December 19, 2024),[11] Tijuana
Aeroméxico Connect	Atlanta, Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA
Alaska Airlines	Los Angeles, San Jose (CA) Seasonal: Fresno (begins December 3, 2024)[12]
American Airlines	Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
Copa Airlines	Panama City–Tocumen
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta
Flair Airlines	Toronto–Pearson,[13] Vancouver[14]
Mexicana de Aviación	Mexico City–AIFA, San José del Cabo
TAR Aerolineas	Durango
United Airlines	Houston–Intercontinental
United Express	Houston–Intercontinental
Viva Aerobus	Bogotá, Cancún, Chicago–O'Hare, Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Obregón (resumes December 2, 2024),[15] Culiacán, Dallas/Fort Worth (begins December 3, 2024),[15] Hermosillo, La Paz, Las Vegas (begins December 2, 2024),[15] Los Angeles, Mérida, Mexicali (begins December 2, 2024),[15] Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo,1 Oakland (begins December 2, 2024),[15] Puebla, Puerto Escondido (begins December 3, 2024),[15] Puerto Vallarta, Reynosa, San Antonio (begins December 2, 2024),[15] Tijuana, Torreón/Gómez Palacio (begins December 3, 2024),[15] Tulum, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Veracruz, Villahermosa Seasonal: Houston–Intercontinental, San José del Cabo
Volaris	Acapulco, Cancún, Charlotte, Chetumal, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O'Hare, Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Obregón, Cozumel, Culiacán, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Fresno, Hermosillo, Houston–Intercontinental, Huatulco, La Paz, Las Vegas, Loreto, Los Angeles, Los Mochis, Mérida, Mexicali, Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA, Miami, Monterrey, New York–JFK, Oakland, Oaxaca, Ontario, Orlando, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Portland (OR), Puerto Escondido, Puerto Vallarta, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Jose (CA), San José del Cabo, Seattle/Tacoma, Tapachula, Tijuana, Toluca/Mexico City, Torreón/Gómez Palacio, Tulum (begins December 5, 2024),[16] Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Veracruz, Villahermosa
Volaris Costa Rica	San José (CR)[17]

Notes

^1 Viva Aerobus flight to Nuevo Laredo makes a stopover in Mexico City.

Cargo

Airlines	Destinations
ABX Air	Cincinnati
Aeronaves TSM	Laredo
AeroUnion	Los Angeles, Mexico City–AIFA
Air Canada Cargo	Dallas/Fort Worth, Mexico City–AIFA, Toronto–Pearson
Air France Cargo	Paris–Charles de Gaulle
Amerijet International	Miami
Atlas Air[18]	Anchorage, Campinas, Los Angeles, Miami
Cargolux	Anchorage, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Mexico City–AIFA
Cathay Cargo	Anchorage, Hong Kong
DHL Aviation	Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Querétaro
Estafeta	La Paz, San Luis Potosí
FedEx Express	Memphis, Oakland
Korean Air Cargo	Seoul–Incheon, Vancouver
Lufthansa Cargo	Dallas/Fort Worth, Frankfurt
Mas Air	Bogotá, Los Angeles, Miami
Panalpina operated by Atlas Air	Huntsville, London–Stansted
TUM AeroCarga	Hermosillo, Reynosa, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana, Toluca
UPS Airlines	Louisville

Destinations map

Guadalajara Mexico City Mexico City/AIFA Puebla Toluca Acapulco Cancún Chetumal Chihuahua Ciudad Juárez Ciudad Obregón Cozumel Culiacán Durango Hermosillo Huatulco La Paz Loreto Los Mochis Mérida Mexicali Monterrey Nuevo Laredo Oaxaca Puerto Escondido Puerto Vallarta Reynosa San José del Cabo Tapachula Tijuana Torreón Tulum Tuxtla Gutiérrez Veracruz Villahermosa Cabo San Lucas Domestic destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination

Guadalajara Vancouver Toronto-Pearson Atlanta Charlotte Chicago-O'Hare Dallas/Fort Worth Denver Houston–Intercontinental Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami New York–JFK Oakland Orlando Sacramento Salt Lake City San Francisco Seattle/Tacoma San Antonio Phoenix–Sky Harbor Panama City San José (CR) Fresno San Jose Ontario Portland (OR) Chicago–Midway Reno/Tahoe Bogotá North- and Latin American destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination

Madrid European destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination

Statistics

Passengers

Guadalajara Airport Passengers. See Wikidata query.

Annual passenger traffic

Year	Passengers	% change
2010	6,918,621
2011	7,154,959	3.41%
2012	7,389,897	3.28%
2013	8,104,762	9.67%
2014	8,695,183	7.28%
2015	9,758,516	12.22%
2016	11,362,552	16.43%
2017	12,779,874	12.47%
2018	14,340,152	12.21%
2019	14,823,592	3.37%
2020	8,125,600	45.40%
2021	12,243,000	50.7%
2022	15,606,600	30.6%
2023	17,710,200	13.5%

Busiest routes

Busiest domestic routes from Guadalajara International Airport (2023)^[19]

Rank	City	Passengers	Ranking	Airline
1	Mexico City, Mexico City	1,496,980		Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
2	Baja California, Tijuana	1,111,478		Aeroméxico, Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
3	Quintana Roo, Cancún	540,126		Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
4	Nuevo León, Monterrey	512,389		Viva Aerobus, Volaris
5	Baja California Sur, Los Cabos	271,197	1	Calafia Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
6	Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez	252,740	1	TAR, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
7	Sonora, Hermosillo	238,069	1	Interjet, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
8	Baja California, Mexicali	204,411	3	Volaris
9	Yucatán, Mérida	188,779	2	Viva Aerobus, Volaris
10	Baja California Sur, La Paz	167,241		Aeromar, Calafia Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
11	Sinaloa, Culiacán	161,445	2	Viva Aerobus, Volaris
12	Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta	160,722	1	Aeromar, TAR, Viva Aerobus
13	Chihuahua, Chihuahua	155,419	1	Viva Aerobus, Volaris
14	Veracruz, Veracruz	121,559	1	Viva Aerobus, Volaris
14	State of Mexico, Mexico City-AIFA	116,069		Viva Aerobus, Volaris

Busiest international routes from Guadalajara International Airport (2023)^[19]

Rank	City	Passengers	Ranking	Airline
1	United States, Los Angeles	528,241		Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
2	United States, Chicago (Midway and O'Hare)[lower-alpha 1]	239,493		Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
3	United States, Dallas/Fort Worth	209,273		American Airlines, Volaris
4	United States, Houston–Intercontinental	160,918		United Airlines, United Express, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
5	United States, San Jose	159,456	2	Alaska Airlines, Volaris
6	United States, Oakland	122,528	2	Volaris
7	United States, Fresno	121,576	1	Aeroméxico, Volaris
8	United States, Sacramento	119,077	3	Aeroméxico, Volaris
9	United States, Las Vegas	101,589		Volaris
10	United States, Phoenix–Sky Harbor	82,333		American Airlines, American Eagle, Volaris
11	United States, Ontario	78,497	1	Volaris
12	United States, Seattle	66,974	1	Volaris
13	United States, Portland	59,936		Volaris
14	Spain, Madrid	57,413		Aeroméxico
15	United States, San Antonio	56,246		Volaris

Notes

1. The official statistics combine both Midway and O'Hare airports.

Accidents and incidents

• On June 2, 1958, Aeronaves de México Flight 111, a Lockheed L-749A Constellation (registration XA-MEV), crashed into La Latilla Mountain, 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the airport, shortly after takeoff for a flight to Mexico City, after the airliner's crew failed to follow the established climb-out procedure for the airport after taking off. The crash killed all 45 people on board, and two prominent American scientists – oceanographer Townsend Cromwell and fisheries scientist Bell M. Shimada – were among the dead. It was the deadliest aviation accident in Mexican history at the time.^[20][21][22]
• On August 31, 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498, a DC-9 originating from Mexico City made several stopovers at Guadalajara, Loreto and Tijuana. Collided with a private aircraft while attempting to land at Los Angeles International Airport leaving no survivors.
• On May 24, 1993, Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo, the Archbishop of Guadalajara, and six other people were killed in a shootout between rival drug cartels in the airport parking lot.^[23]
• On September 16, 1998, Continental Airlines Flight 475, a Boeing 737-500 registered N20643 departed Houston–Intercontinental at 20:56 CDT for an IFR flight to Guadalajara. After executing a missed approach on their first ILS approach to Runway 28, the flight was vectored for a second approach to Runway 28. Second approach was reported by both pilots to be uneventful, the aircraft drifted to the left side of the runway after touchdown. Left main landing gear exited the hard surface of the runway approximately 2700 feet from the threshold and eventually, all 3 landing gears exited the 197-foot wide asphalt runway while the aircraft had substantial damages and was declared damaged beyond repair, all passengers survived.^[24]

See also

• List of the busiest airports in Mexico
• List of airports in Mexico
• List of airports by ICAO code: M
• List of busiest airports in North America
• List of the busiest airports in Latin America
• Transportation in Mexico
• Tourism in Mexico
• Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
• Zapopan Air Force Base
• Economy of Jalisco
• Tlajomulco de Zúñiga
• Guadalajara International Film Festival
• Guadalajara International Book Fair
• List of longest runways

References

1. "GAP Traffic Report 2023" (PDF). Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico. January 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
2. "Statistics by Airport" (Web). Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
3. "Volaris cements Guadalajara as a hub" (Web). Milenio. April 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
4. "Guadalajara dio una Calurosa Recepción al Presidente. Gran Concurrencia en el Aeropuerto". El Informador (in Spanish). March 2, 1951. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
5. Golden, Tim (May 25, 1993). "Cardinal in Mexico Killed in a Shooting Tied to Drug Battle". The New York Times.
6. "Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta airports in line for major upgrades". Mexico News Daily. February 7, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
7. "Fly nonstop to Europe from Guadalajara". Aeroméxico. August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
8. Quarter Studios - Soluciones Digitales. "Aeropuerto de Guadalajara". Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
9. Hangar Inn
10. "Bases Aéreas. Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional".
11. "Aeromexico Schedules Additional US Routes in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
12. "Alaska Adds 18 New Routes". Airline Geeks. July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
13. Robertson, Becky (April 11, 2024). "New cheap and direct flights under $150 will connect Toronto to historic sun destination". blogTO. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
14. Parkinson, Bruce (November 1, 2023). "Flair Touts Improved Performance, Announces New YVR-GDL & YYZ-YQB Routes". TravelPulse Canada. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
15. "Viva expands new frequencies from Monterrey and Guadalajara". A21 (in Spanish). August 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
16. "Volaris connects Guadalajara with Tulum: Take advantage of the opening offer with flights from $99 pesos". El Debate (in Spanish). April 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
17. "Volaris Costa Rica Plans Guadalajara Service in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
18. "Atlas Air Schedule". Atlas Air. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
19. "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
20. "Accident". Aviation Safety Network. June 1958. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
21. "Bell Masayuki Shimada (1922-1958)". National Ocean Service. July 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
22. "NOAA Honors Nisei with Launch of Fisheries Vessel". Japanese American Veterans Association. December 2008. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
23. Golden, Tim (May 25, 1993). "Cardinal in Mexico Killed in a Shooting Tied to Drug Battle". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
24. "Runway excursion Accident Boeing 737-524 N20643, Wednesday 16 September 1998".

External links

• Media related to International airport of Guadalajara, Mexico at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
• Puerto Vallarta Airport information at Great Circle Mapper
• Aeronautical chart and airport information for MMGL at SkyVector
• Current weather for MMGL at NOAA/NWS
• Accident history for GDL at Aviation Safety Network
• AeropuertosMexico.com (in English)
• FlightAware U.S. airport activity to/from: Don Miguel Hidalgo Y Costilla Int'l (MMGL)
• A-Z World Airports: Don Miguel Hidalgo Airport (GDL/MMGL) Archived November 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
• Official Travel Resource for English Speakers